Wellesley Celebrates the Season, and Recognizes Excellence, at President Johnson’s Holiday Brunch

Wellesley Celebrates the Season, and Recognizes Excellence, at President Johnson’s Holiday Brunch

December 14, 2017

On December 12, President Paula A. Johnson hosted a holiday brunch during which Wellesley faculty and staff paid tribute to recipients of two employee recognition awards and congratulated retiring colleagues and friends.

“This year, as every year does, challenged us in a number of ways, and I am so proud of how, as a College community, we rose to the occasion every time,” said President Johnson. “Wellesley and our community members were part of important national conversations ranging from freedom of expression on college campuses to sustainability and the environment, and of course women’s leadership and the role women are increasingly playing in transforming society, culture, politics, education, and the workplace.”

At the event, President Johnson presented Jael Matos, the academic administrator for the Spanish department, with the Agent of Innovation award. “Her contributions are many, from helping to launch a faculty dialogue series, to mentoring students from abroad, and from creating a resource to support administrative assistants new to the College, to planning the annual LatinX appreciation dinner,” President Johnson said. She described Matos as a forward-looking model of positive thinking who takes the initiative at every opportunity.

The Student Leadership Working Group of Carol Bate, associate dean of students; Lori Tenser, dean of first-year students; Mared Alicea-Westort, Latina advisor and assistant dean of the Office of Student Involvement Sponsored Events; and Claudia Trevor-Wright, assistant director of health education and wellness, received the Champions of Collaboration award for their work, which President Johnson said “collaborates across departments to develop a leadership model and program that will better prepare our outstanding student leaders. I am so excited about the work they are doing.”

President Johnson also congratulated members of the Wellesley community who will be retiring and thanked faculty, staff, and union members for their work this year.